31.12.2018

Firstly I bought this at a discount and at it's full price is pretty expensive.The mouse has 4 zones that can be independently set for lighting and that is quite nice especially when you need to confirm what program or game you are playing and sometimes when you alt-tab out of that program and go back in it doesn't kick the profile in so you instantly know by the lights.The weights - well I do wonder if this is a gimmick frankly but some will appreciate the option to make it heavier however, I don't use them but the storage or the fitting to the mouse is a monumental pain. The weights have a smaller squared key to insert into either the storage or mouse recess and this is not only non-positivebut totally inadequate so you are fiddling for ages to put the weights in whilst dislodging the adjacent one that you spend a few mins trying to get in. There are 8 to do ..The sensor in this is supposedly the best one they do but I had the sensai raw previously and don't notice any difference however, it's even less configurable since you can only set the sensitivity in steps of 100 whereas I can set my Sensai in steps of 10 I believe. That is a big downer for me and is a serious flaw when you consider that "oh best sensor ever" .. and "oh much less control over it" Duh!There is an extra button on the left which many complain is hard to reach - yes it is a little hard to reach and I have big hands - you will not want to assign anything too critical for this button. Here I preferred my sensai as it was ambidextrous and so had 2 buttons either side -that was easier to get used to than this third button but having said that if you have reasonably medium / large hands it's not a game breaker. Small hands will struggle without moving the positioning of the hand and making it a poor choice for gaming. ... and this is really a gaming mouse after all.I also see one of the major complaints is the side grips which appear to come off after a lot of use (possibly heat from hand loosening the adhesive?). This hasn't happened to me and my hands don't get that sweaty but I can see the potential for this to happen and if you are paying £80 for this mouse this is totally unacceptable.This is a wired mouse so at that price it should be the bees knees - no premium has been spent on the wireless side so my recommendation is wait for this to appear on offer well under the full price and it will be worth the purchase.So far I've been reasonably happy with it but if I'm honest I could have stuck with the Sensai without any downsides to actual play / sensitivity, I only bought it for the price and that my sensai is a bit old even though I've bought a full set of omron switches and replaced a couple on one of them already.EDIT : Knocked down to 2 STARS as per so many other people, come summer the side pad adhesive just melted and I ended up with a sticky mess in my hands. This is atrocious for an £80 mouseNOTE: I'm now rating this higher again because it's such a damn good mouse IMO. With regard to the adhesive and the eventual failure of the side grips. Steelseries will give you a code to replace the grips if this happens within the 2 year warranty period and for however many times it happens. They are aware of this problem and are developing a better adhesive (so they say).What I did after I got the replacement was to completely wipe off the adhesive from the rubber pads. This is not that easy but if you make a solution with White Vinegar and Bicarbinate of soda this will completely come of without too much elbow grease. I then used super glue to put them back and they are really solid now.So I guess I'm saying here that the mouse is worth getting particularly if you wait till it's reduced in price and if you don't mind the mucking about that I describe above then go for it.Please give this a thumbs up if it has helped you make up your mind.

24.5.2019

First thing is first, I have had an issue with the tracking on this mouse, it randomnly starts wandering. It's not a cleanliness issue as I first thought, nor a mat problem as I have tried various patterned/plain designs and various soft and hard surface types. It does eventually calm down but it often takes a restart and you may well be trying to do that without the use of your mouse (have you tried hitting the right arrow button next to shut down when your cursor is wandering?! Just use buttons) - so goodbye to one star. Your mileage may vary but I am returning mine in the hopes of a faulty unitGeneralGreat build quality,great weight (though I prefer a slightly heavier mouse as I use high DPI so I want accuracy of movement and no twitching)One of very few good mice with a number of buttons exceeding 12. I fell in love with the wheel tilt click on my previous Logi and Roccat mice and needed a new one, but I hate Logi software and drivers, so I was considering this vs the Roccat NyonButtonsGreat number of buttons lets me bind a lot of stuff to the mouseGreat button placement, even the one behind the thumb rest which could potentially be a pain is actually great to push by rolling back your thumbThe ring of thumb buttons are slightly too stiff and mean that pushing them will tend to move your mouse right, but that's a tradeoff, much easier to hit and you'd be hitting them accidentally a lot more. Ironically, the ones on the thumb rest you push down on could be more stiff, as hitting these won't move your cursor and they're relatively easy to hit accidentallySoftwareSoftware isn't perfect but it's miles better than Logitech's, it doesn't have the most customisation but offers probably the best useability. All the stuff you need is there.Doesn't forget colour settings like Logitech's, profiles switch quickly and flawlessly, which was always an issue with Roccat and Razer, doesn't make you create an account like Razer does for EVERYTHINGTactile feedback is a great idea, should be in far more mice. I don't find myself using it much but the implementation is good. I find it best used for shorter cooldown effects (6s to a minute) that you always want to use ASAP, otherwise you wouldn't have bound it to your mouse buttonsOverallOffers a perfect balance between classic Naga/MMO style mice (where I always find I have nowhere to rest my thumb) andOnly downside is that those few who like to maintain finger/thumb contact with both mouse and mat (high DPI settings and therefore need precise, very small movements) won't be able to unless you have gigantic hands because the thumb rest will always be in your way (and there are buttons on it, although you can lock these down)Encourages a grip that maintains some form of palm contact as anywhere you would be holding the mouse with your fingertips is almost guaranteed to be on a button, potentially leading to misclicks when moving the mouseGood scrollwheel with clear segmentation on scrolling - I dislike when a scrollwheel is loose and you can't tell whether you've done 1 step or 3. It's also sturdy which is important when your mousewheel has tilt left and right functionality. Roccat are widely considered to make the best scrollwheels and I do prefer theirs, but only just

23.4.2018

Brilliant Mouse - Sensei 310.Needed an upgrade for my Sensei Wireless and had struggled a while to find a suitable replacement (Sensei Wireless Sensor started to lose its accuracy)I tried the Rival 600 due to its amazing looks and design but found it too big and I couldn't get used to the shape.I then realised there was another generation of Sensei!! The Sensei 310The mouse fits perfectly in your hand and is pretty much a replication of the Sensei mouse/ the closest thing to the old gen Sensei.Mouse clicks are soft and responsive, design is of high quality and feel.Mouse Scroll wheel is smooth and responsive, no heavy drag.Played Fortnite, Overwatch, Dota and found the mouse brilliant in all areas.The Sensor Accuracy is brilliant, the slightest movements are picked up providing that perfect aim!!I have smallish hands and wanted something of similar size to the previous Sensei. I spent AGES checking mouse sizes etc to make sure i got the perfect fit!****ONLY ISSSUE****I originally purchased this mouse from a 3rd party vendor supplied by Amazon.The mouse arrived and had a serious rattle issue around the middle mouse button and LMB/RMB. The buttons also did not "click" as they should when pressed.I returned the mouse and purchased the new mouse this time from AMAZON (Cost £1 more but more importantly, by buying from amazon direct it means if there is an issue amazon will send a replacement next day, if you buy from a 3rd party amazon cant send you a new item next day, you have to return the item and wait for a refund)The mouse bought from amazon arrived and was PERFECT. No rattles and the mouse buttons were responsive and smoother.Not sure if the vendor had an older Gen of the Sensei 310, The rattle was a known issue and was fixed (Found a thread on the Steelseries Reddit)I did note the mouse bought from the Vendor has an international steelseries sticker on the side, Containing Japanese and other APAC languages. I can't remember now if there was english on there. I believe it just re iterated the name of the product and possibly support details.The mouse from Amazon had no international sticker so not sure if the mouse sold by the Vendor was imported from somewhere else to be sold in the UK, may explain why this mouse issue that was fixed 4 months ago was still present in the mouse i bought?!The 2x Rival 600's (One for brother) i bought from amazon previously also had no international sticker ?! So this could be the case.SUMMARY:Would Highly recommend this mouse for anyone looking to upgrade from a Sensei or even to a new mouse.The Sensor is Super Responsive and is of High Quality, offering steelseries 1to1 Tracking. (This mouse boasts steelseries best sensor to date )Quality and Feel are brilliant for the price.

8.8.2017

UPDATED: 2.5 year review below!For me, the Rival 500 is a heavier mouse than I'd like, but I've gotten fairly used to it now and it doesn't bother me too much. The lack of configurable lift-off distance means it can't be used on a bare desk. In terms of all those buttons, they're pretty well placed, although I feel the mouse could be 5-10mm narrower to make reaching buttons easierThe RGB lighting seems mostly pointless, however apart from colour-coordinating for desktop use, I use the logo colour (which is completely covered by your hand!) to reassure me it's loaded into the right settings for a game, as the SteelSeries Engine software sometimes doesn't switch,requiring an alt-tab out and back in.This may all sound negative, but I'm nit-picking, as I should for a mouse of this price. It's a very well built mouse and comfortable enough for marathon gaming sessions. With a decent mouse mat, it's incredibly precise and accurate, and has configuration options for everything (bar lift-off distance) you could want. The single best feature is the tactile feedback - a little configurable vibration you can get on certain actions or game events. Sounds daft, but it's brilliant!2.5 YEAR UPDATE!Upgraded from 4* to 5* review.I have two of these mice in daily use (one for work, the other for gaming) and neither has failed or is showing signs of wear in any way. I still feel the mouse is a bit heavy and wide, but I utterly adore it. It is gently mocked at LAN parties for being an "MMO mouse", but the power it gives you in games like PUBG, Tarkov, etc is unreal. It's also fantastic for slower/strategy games where you just want to use your left hand to prop your head up...As an example PUBG setup, on the thumb I have voice chat (in-game, and ts/discord on different buttons), crouch, and buttons for bandage, drink, and painkillers. Right of right-click is weapon mode select, and the buttons left of left-click select pri/sec weapons. Tilting the mouse wheel puts me in driver/passenger seats.Of course, you don't need to configure everything up-front. It's still a perfectly normal functional mouse without anything setup, just when you feel like you might want something on your right hand, just set it up then!I've had SteelSeries keyboards in the past and found them unreliable and the software awkward. With this mouse I have no such problems, even if it's the same software. I still need to occasionally tab out and in of games to get the software to use the right profile, but it's rare and not that bothersome. I use both mine with Corsair K70 keyboards and couldn't be happier.If SteelSeries drop this model without replacing it, I'll buy another 2-4 of these on the spot. I like it that much.

3.3.2018

I've tried a few mice lately after my old WMO 1.1 died, and I think the Rival 600 is the best of the bunch. It's very comfortable to palm grip if you have fairly long hands.My hands are ~20cm x ~10cm (measuring from thumb-side to edge of my palm as per RocketJumpNinja does), so long and fairly narrow. After trying 3 other modern mice, I thought I'd try the Rival 600.Pros:+ Dimension-wise, it's a little longer than the G403, which is just what I wanted.+ Grip-wise, it's very comfortable for me. I'm not sure if there any mice out there that are longer.+ You don't need drivers (the default DPI switch is 800/1600)+ It has some extras like customisable weights.+ The 'hump' (for want of a better term)

20.1.2019

The upgrade from the MX Master for gaming wasn't HUGE for me, since I play on fairly low DPI anyway, but it is very useful to have the ability to switch up to much higher DPI. The Rival's tracking ability is phenomenal, and weigh system is pretty good but I don't think it's heavy enough, I've added all the weights and it's still lighter than my MX Master which was nice for a very smooth desk.The Rival 600 is very comfortable and is fairly long to fit larger hands, but not as long as the Razer Deathadder which is perfect for larger hands. Anyhow, the Rival will do good with extended clickers and a slightly elongated design.The mouse has a manual calibration system for each surface to get he best tracking on whatever you're playing.

8.3.2020

Cons:As others have mentioned the screen is useless and the vibration can only really be used in the couple of games supported unless you want a timer function after pressing a button. I found the mouse feet not slippery enough for what is a heavy mouse (by today's twitch shooter mice) and would have benefited from pure PTFE/teflon ones (these would be white). I have bought a hard mouse mat to use because of this and some aftermarket PTFE feet for when these wear down (to be used on cloth mat), I could have just been unlucky of course and this was a bad batch of feet. Lastly the sniper button, or melee as I use it for, is too far forward for me and I have to change my grip to be able to press it.

30.12.2017

This is my first ambidextrous mouse and the first time I'm using a mouse in my dominant (left) hand. The difference in comfort and finesse of my control is staggering even though I have absolutely no experience using a mouse left-handed, I would highly recommend that any lefties give it a try.There is not much choice out there for ambidextrous mice, but no matter as this is a solid product and is one I would consider even if I were right handed.Pros:- Tracking is spot on, this thing is beautiful to use on a large gaming mat (incidentally I have the Steel Series gaming pad which I would also recommend!)- Comfortable dimensions for either palm or claw grip- Two programmable thumb buttons on each

19.11.2017

I love this mouse, use Razer Mice for years but a year or so ago I brought a SteelSeries Sensi Wireless mouse kind of spare of the moment and I was very impressed, I went on to my a M800 Keyboard from them.Well 2 years later or so I own a M750 keyboard, a H Wireless headset and 3 Rival 500's (yes 3... Home, Offcie and one for Laptop) and I still have my Sensi Wireless around somewhere which is in perfect working order.Am I am fan boy? No not so much, their support, or at least my experience of their support has been pretty damn shocking to say the least, but eventually I ended up with a full refund for my M800 which died and a free £300 store credit to buy what to wanted to replace it as way of apology.So why 5 Stars?

29.6.2020

This mouse is awesome, super comfortable, even though it stands on the slightly larger side or mouse dimensions. As you can see in the image, next to a Razer Naga Trinity. That being said, it is super super comfortable (I don't have big hands). Build quality seems great, materials are top notch and it has a slight heft to it that makes it comfortable to glide around with precision. The wheel has a very nice feel to it, noticeable right away. Top keys (other than right and left click) are slightly hard to press but it's a matter of getting used to those I guess. Very useful while gaming and also for work, as you can set those keys to shortcuts, hot keys or even macros that you can build,

9.9.2017

Loving it so far. The sensor feels amazing, much better than the G403 (I returned) at high dpi settings (I play at 2400 dpi), it has definitely improved my aim a touch in fps games.I bought the Logitech G403 before this, but had to return it as the side buttons made a weird squeaking noise. The side buttons on this aren't perfectly quiet at all angles (slight rattle on mouse 4 sometimes) but much much better than the G403 for me.It also feels great in my hand (18 x 10cm) in a palm grip. It has made me realise my G400 was a little too large for me (After 5 years) haha. This is lighter and much more comfortable!The left and right click feel nice, nothing special though.

19.2.2018

I was using a Logitech MX518 for 8 years. Only because of how nice this mouse feels it made me realise that it has become smooshy and used feeling which made me realise i needed a new mouse but the subtle differences in smoothness, usability and ergonomic design. Although the MX518 still functions, using this one makes me realise how i ever killed anyone in PuBG or anything shooter come to that. Even clicking about on the desktop while doing my assignments has become a nicer experience that getting used to will still take a few days yet.The RGB on the mouse is bright as hell too but you can turn these down in the settings through the Steelseries Engine 3. Of which you can edit the colours.

19.11.2017

My hands are 19 cm by 10 cm with relatively long fingers. I should mention I am 66 years old, so comfort and care of my wrist and hand in general is important to me. (Especially since I am a drummer!) For reference, I researched reviews by Rocket Jump Ninja. As a result, I have tried Zowie FK1+ and EC1 - both were too wide. Then Zowie FK1 and EC2 - both were too narrow and not long enough. All were very responsive for FPS. In desperation, I tried the Mionix Naos 7000, but it was not long enough for my fingers and a bit awkward for FPS.Eventually, I came to this Steelseries Rival 310 which suits me to a tee and fits my hand just right - I'm obviously between sizes for the aforementioned mice!

6.11.2019

Bought from Amazon Warehouse. Arrived as described in good working order. First impressions when I opened the box were that it's quite a large mouse and when you first use it it does seem large (compared to the couple of other mice i use at work etc). After a few days of use, the size is, in-fact, good for my hand size and i'm finding it comfortable to use. The lead is plenty long enough.You'll need to install the steelseries software to make the most of the mouse. It'll help you disable some windows settings and instantly make the mouse pointer move much better. The two main buttons on the top feel nice. I haven't setup the side buttons yet for any games, for a right handed user the buttons on the left side are well placed.

14.6.2020

So I've used a Logitech mouse for a number of years and decided to step up my gaming set up and spare no expense. I decided to opt for the Steelseries Rival 650. It doesn't disappoint. It comes with weights to weigh down the mouse which is a nice touch. The software is programmable for the mouse for a variety of different customization features which is great. It comes with a 2 DPI adjustable setting which I have found is far superior than the 5+ button settings because I can go back and forth between my normal desktop use and playing Overwatch where I can have a lower DPI setting if I'm sniping. I think it's worth the price tag and it has a nice touch when it comes to the mouse buttons.

SteelSeries Rival 500 - Reviews

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